The invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an electrical connector that permits simultaneous insertion of a plurality of mating electrical connectors for electrical connection with a circuit board.
The applicant of this application filed previously an application, which discloses an electrical connector 1, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, for insertion of a mating electrical connector (not shown). The connector 1 is connected electrically to a circuit board 3 so that the mating electrical connector and the circuit board 3 can transmit electrical signals.
The electrical connector 1 includes an insulating housing 10, a set of conductive terminals 2, and two locking units 15. The insulating housing includes an H-shaped main body 11, an insert wall 12 connected to the main body 11, a guide wall 13, a support wall 16, and two connecting portions 14.
The main body 11 includes a first surface 111 to contact with a mating electrical connector, a second surface 112 opposite to the first surface 111, two opposite first and second end portions 113, 114 that extend respectively along the length of the main body 11, two opposite first and second lateral surfaces 115, 116 that connect respectively first and second surfaces 111, 112 and that extend respectively from the first end portion 113 to the second end portion 114, and a plurality of terminal through holes 117 that extend respectively through first and second surfaces 111, 112. The first and second lateral surfaces 115, 116 can be directed toward the circuit board 3 during assembly. In this embodiment, the second lateral surface 116 is faced toward the circuit board 3.
The insert wall 12 is positioned on and protrudes outwardly away from the first surface 111 of the main body 11, and includes an abutment surface 121 and a rear surface 122. The abutment surface 121 includes a plurality of terminal receiving slots 1211 that correspond respectively to the terminal through holes 117, and a protruding piece 1212 fixed to the abutment surface 121. The rear surface 122 includes a retaining groove 1221.
The guide wall 13 is similarly situated on and protrudes outwardly from the first surface 111 of the main body 11, and the guide wall 13 and the insert wall 12 forms therebetween a gap. The guide wall 13 includes a guide passage 131 that is proximate to one side of the insert wall 12.
The support wall 16 is provided on and protrudes outwardly away from the first surface 111 of the main body 11, which is proximate to the second end portion 114 of the main body 11.
The two connecting portions 14 are disposed on the second surface 112 of the main body 11 respectively adjacent to the first and second end portions 113, 114 of, and protrude outwardly away from the second surface 112. Each connecting portion 14 has a bottom surface 142 that is in contact with the circuit board 3, a top surface 141 opposite to the bottom surface 142, and a connecting hole 143 that extends through the top and bottom surfaces 141, 142. The connecting hole 143 in each of the connecting portions 14 is aligned with a respective one of the fixing holes 32 in the circuit board 3.
The conductive terminal set 2 includes a plurality of conductive terminals 21 that are arranged in parallel to each other. Each conductive terminal 21 has two opposite first contact portion 211 and second contact portion 212. The first contact portion 211 of each conductive terminal 21 is positioned fixedly in a corresponding one of the terminal receiving slots 1211 in the abutment surface 121 of the insert wall 12. The second contact portion 212 of each conductive terminal 21 extends into a corresponding one of the terminal through holes 117, protrudes out of the second face 112 of the main body 11, and is positioned between the two second connecting portions 14.
Each locking unit 15 includes a blocking portion 151, and an engaging portion 152 opposite to the blocking portion 151. An end of the engaging portion 152 of each blocking unit 15 is formed with two opposed outwardly protruding elastic hook portions 1521. The engaging portions 152 of the blocking units 15 extend respectively from the top surface 141 of the connecting portion 14 into the fixing holes 32 in the circuit board 3 through the connecting holes 143 so that the hook portions 1521 are hooked respectively on the edges of the hole at the other side of the fixing holes 32. The blocking portions 151 of the blocking units 15 are stopped in the connecting hole 143.
When the electrical connector 1 and the circuit board 3 are assembled for use, the circuit board 3 is formed at its side with a rectangular cut-out portion that matches the shape of the electrical connector 1. The circuit board 3 is further provided with a plurality of soldering points 31 corresponding to the position of the conductive terminals 21, and two fixing holes 32 that are aligned respectively with the connecting holes 143 in the connecting portions 14 so that bottom surfaces of the two connecting portions 14 are in contact with the circuit board 3 simultaneously. Furthermore, the second contact portions 212 of the conductive terminals 21 are welded and connected electrically to the soldering points 31 on the circuit board 3. Afterwards, the engaging portions 152 of the locking units 15 pass respectively through the connecting holes 143 in the connecting portion 14. Because the hook portions 1521 are retained in the fixing holes 32 in the circuit board 3, the electrical connector 1 is fixed on the circuit board 3 correspondingly.
The mating electrical connector, through coordination of the guide passage 131 in the guide wall 13 with the retaining groove 1221 in the insert wall 12, is guided into and positioned on the circuit board 3 so that it contacts electrically the first contact portions 211 of the conductive terminals 21 and connects electrically the circuit board 3 so as to transmit an electrical signal.
Since the two locking units 15 can limit the position of the insulating housing 10 relative to the circuit board 3, when a user applies force to insert the mating electrical connector, or when the mating electrical connector is hit by a horizontal force after insertion, the locking units 15 can bear most of the forces. As such, while the standard structure of the electrical connector is maintained, retention of the insulating housing 10 on the circuit board 3 is also strengthened, thereby preventing damage to the conductive terminals 21, and failure of the electrical connector 1.
Although the above-described electrical connector 1 has the two locking units 15 for limiting the position of the insulating housing 10 relative to the circuit board 3, and although the electrical connector 1 can endure forces induced due to the applied force for insertion of the mating electrical connector or due to the impact after insertion of the mating electrical connector, the electrical connector 1 permits insertion of only one mating electrical connector to connect electrically with the circuit board 3. Therefore, when electrical connection with a plurality of mating electrical connectors is required, a plurality of fixing holes must be drilled in the circuit board 3 at suitable positions. Following the above-mentioned method, the plurality of electrical connectors 1 are electrically connected to the same side of the circuit board 3 in a consecutive order, or connected to the opposite sides of the circuit board 3 in an alternate order so as to permit insertion for a plurality of mating electrical connectors. But, as such, the area of the circuit board 3 has to be relatively increased, leading to an increase in the volume of final electrical product, which does not meet the requirement for miniaturization of electrical products.
Furthermore, when a plurality of electrical connectors 1 are connected because the fixing holes 32 in the circuit board 3 are increased, the structural strength of the circuit board 3 is damaged. As a result, when the user applies force to insert the mating electrical connector, or when the mating electrical connectors are subjected to impact due to transverse forces after insertion, the circuit board 3 will be destroyed, and the electrical connector 1 will be ineffective.
Thus, when a plurality of mating electrical connectors are needed for system integration, the above-mentioned electrical connector 1 is not suitable and further development is necessary.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that permits simultaneous insertion of a plurality of mating electrical connectors for electrical connection with a circuit board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that can be connected electrically to a circuit board through a clamping fashion so that destruction to the circuit board is prevented.
According to one aspect of this invention, a stacked type connector for insertion of at least two mating electrical connectors comprises an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals.
The insulating housing has two spaced-apart side walls, which are formed integrally therebetween with at least two upper and lower stacked plug seats. Each of the plug seats is formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots. The housing defines an insertion direction. Each of the side walls is formed with a retaining notch that extends between the two plug seats in a direction opposite to the insertion direction for detachable insertion of a circuit board therein.
Each terminal is received in the respective terminal receiving slot, and interferentially engage the inner wall of a corresponding terminal receiving slot. Each terminal has a contact end received in the corresponding terminal receiving slot, and a soldering end projecting out of the corresponding terminal receiving slot and connected electrically to the circuit board.
When each plug seat permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, the mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to the terminals to establish electrical connection with the circuit board.
According to another aspect of this invention, a stacked type connector for insertion of at least four mating electrical connectors comprises an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals.
The insulating housing has two spaced-apart side walls, which are formed integrally therebetween with at least two left and right plug seat units. Each of the plug seat units has two upper and lower stacked plug seats. Each of the plug seats is formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots. The housing defines an insertion direction. Each of the side walls is formed with a retaining notch that extends in a direction opposite to the insertion direction for detachable insertion of a circuit board therein. Two spaced-apart retaining arms are formed between the two plug seat units and extending oppositely of the insert direction. The retaining arms clamp fixedly the circuit board.
Each terminal is received in the respective terminal receiving slot, and interferentially engages the inner wall of a corresponding terminal receiving slot. Each terminal has a contact end received in the corresponding terminal receiving slot, and a soldering end projecting out of the corresponding terminal receiving slot and connected electrically to the circuit board.
When each plug seat permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, the mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to the terminals to establish electrical connection with the circuit board.
According to a further aspect of this invention, a stacked type connector for insertion of at least four mating electrical connectors comprises an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals.
The insulating housing has two spaced-apart side walls, which are formed integrally therebetween with at least two left and right plug seat units. Each of the plug seat units has two upper and lower stacked plug seats. Each of the plug seats is formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots. The housing defines an insertion direction. Each of the side walls is formed with a first retaining notch that extends oppositely of the insertion direction. An intermediate wall is provided between the two plug seat units and formed with two spaced-apart second retaining notches extending oppositely of the insert direction. The first and second retaining notches cooperating together to permit detachable insertion of a circuit board therein.
Each terminal is received in the respective terminal receiving slot, and interferentially engages the inner wall of a corresponding terminal receiving slot. Each terminal has a contact end received in the corresponding terminal receiving slot, and a soldering end projecting out of the corresponding terminal receiving slot and connected electrically to the circuit board.
When each plug seat permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, the mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to the terminals to establish electrical connection with the circuit board.